Living With Healthy Hunger Health Blog
Having a toothache is an experience you may not forget. Often, tooth pain indicates the development of dental cavities and requires a visit to an Orange Park general dentist. Indeed, ignoring cavities can result in more discomfort and possible issues that can be avoided with regular dental appointments. If you experience tooth pain, especially when you bite down or chew, you may have a dental cavity. Dental cavities should not be ignored due to the following reasons:
They Do Not Disappear On Their Own
Dental cavities need to be addressed by a dentist. When left unaddressed, cavities can progress and worsen. These tooth holes can deepen, widen, or spread when not treated. Dentists usually fill holes that have not reached the nerves of the teeth with dental fillings.
They Can Get Worse
If cavities progress, they can break down your tooth enamel and spread to the dentin, possibly exposing the nerves. When this happens, you can be at risk of further issues including chronic pain, and require more extensive treatment. A cavity can spread and affect other teeth.
They Can Be Painful
When dental cavities have deepened enough to reach the teeth nerves and roots, they can cause serious pain. Usually, the acute, throbbing pain is the first indication of a cavity. But as this cavity is left untreated, it can become bigger and deeper over time and cause more pain.
They Can Cause an Infection
Cavities can also cause swelling and inflammation. When not treated promptly, cavities can put you at risk of bacterial infection, which may lead to a sore abscess.
They Can Cause Tooth Loss
Ignoring cavities will cause the death of the affected teeth, pulps, and blood vessels, leading to tooth loss. In addition, if the tooth does not fall out on its own, it may need to be removed. Permanent or adult teeth don’t grow back, so you will need to get a dental bridge, denture, or dental implant to replace the missing tooth to ensure the remaining teeth won’t shift out of position. Tooth loss can affect your bite, speech, and ability to chew food.
They Can Cause Other Health Problems
The bacteria from the decayed teeth may result in infection and other health problems, especially in the blood or bones. In addition, tooth decay and dental cavities put you at an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, mouth cancer, and stroke. To avoid these issues, you should visit your dentist if you think you have a cavity.
